In the summer of 2012, I was 16 years and going into my junior year of high school. I remember I was doing something that was a part of my daily routine; endlessly browsing DatPiff for some new mixtapes to listen to. I remember seeing one trending on the homepage with two kids skateboarding. The mixtape, titled 1999, was by an unknown artist named Joey Bada$. Quite honestly, I was drawn to it due to the artist and I sharing the same first name. Instantly, I downloaded it to my iTunes library.
I immediately began to play it. I was impressed by the opening track, “Summer Knights.” Later, I found out this was the first track Joey freestyled off the top. But when the next track, “Waves” played, I literally dropped my jaw. I remember pausing it when it was done and saying, “WHAT THE F*** IS THIS?” It was a lyrical onslaught that I was not expecting and it instantly left a notable impression on me. After replaying it multiple times, I knew I was in store for a lyrical ride.
In 2012, Joey Bada$ was only 17, living and attending high school in Brooklyn, NY. He was a normal high school student that had an intense passion for Hip-Hop and a lyrical prowess that most Hip-Hop veterans aspired to have. Prior to writing the tape, he was inspired by MF Doom’s uncanny lyrical ability after his close friend and future collaborator, Capital Steez, introduced him to the legendary MC.
The beats on 1999 were all original — just obscure. They also were reminiscent of the boom-bap era, featuring loud snare drums, bass lines and soul samples. Joey claimed that he had never heard any of the original songs for the beats because he wanted a fresh perspective on each beat and did not want them to influence how he wrote each song. Some of the producers on the album include MF Doom, J. Dilla, Lord Finesse and Statik Selektah.
While “Waves” set the tone, “Survival Tactics” took the tape to another level. Joey came out with an intense delivery, spitting, “N****s don’t want war, I’m a Martian with an army of Spartans. Sparring with a knife in a mistle fight.”
Despite the stellar verse, Joey was instantly outdueled by Capital Steez. His verse was the beginning of the “Third Eye” mentality championed by Joey’s crew, known as Pro Era. Third Eye is a phrase that means to keep an extra eye open to the hidden agendas of society. Steez’s verse is remembered as one of the highlights of 1999. He is also on the next track, “Killuminati,” which is another lyrical joust.
At this point, I could not believe what I was hearing. Only five songs in, I thought I was playing the most lyrical project of all time, maybe only second to Big Pun’s “Capital Punishment.” And then came track number six, “Hardknock,” featuring fellow Pro Era member, CJ Fly. Joey’s performance on the track featured mind-boggling bars and wordplay —especially for his age — that had been absent in Hip-Hop for some time.
“Pennyroyal” tells a story about a past lover finding a new boyfriend and how Joey quietly hides the pain it puts him through. This smoothly transitions into “Funky Ho’s,” which seems to be Joey learning his lesson of putting his trust in a woman. These relatable tracks remind me of being a high schooler again and going through the journey of love, which crosses most high schoolers at some point.
“Snakes”, featuring a hypnotic verse from T’nah Apex over a smooth J. Dilla beat, boasts several witty lines and pays homage to Brooklyn’s two most prominent MC’s, Jay-Z and Biggie.
“Jigga told me watch your throne seat
And now I sees it and in respect to BIG, I gotta Cease it.”
Apex’s hook also continues the Third Eye movement, referring to the judicial system as “serpents.”
The all-time lyrical performance continues for the rest of the album and is concluded by the 12-minute Pro Era posse cut, “Suspect,” which was later renamed “Third Eye S***” when it was released to streaming platforms.
Today, 1999 is regarded as one of the greatest mixtapes of all time. It was crowned by multiple Hip-Hop outlets as the premier mixtape of 2012. As someone who was almost the same age as Joey, it was refreshing to hear an MC talk about relatable topics while using unbelievably complex lyrics. It was also unusual but satisfying to see someone who was our age making such compelling music that was respected by the masses.
1999 has aged like fine wine and still makes me feel like a 16-year-old kid, who was still looking for relatable music to help mold the person I was.
With a new Joey Bada$ project on the way, this is the perfect time to get refreshed on one of his greatest works. Be sure to follow Joey Bada$ on Instagram and Twitter to hear more about his upcoming project.
STAND OUT TRACKS: “Waves”, “Survival Tactics” (Feat. Capital Steez), “Hardknock “(Feat. CJ Fly), “Pennyroyal”